The nation's weather

A winter storm will pull away from the East Coast on Saturday while another system brings rain and snow to the West Coast. The low pressure system that produced snow and mixed precipitation over the Northeast and severe storms in the Southeast will finally move off the East Coast. As this system moves out, the back side will draw cold air into the Northeast from Canada. Expect highs only into the 20s Saturday across most of New England.

In the West, a major winter storm slowly moves into the Southwest, triggering periods of heavy rain and snow in the Sierras. Cold air will also pour in behind this low pressure system, prompting record-breaking overnight lows, while daytime highs may only reach the 40s in coastal regions. If precipitation develops, many areas that usually do not see frozen precipitation, may see snow in the cold, overnight hours, but accumulation is not likely. Rainfall totals will range from 1 to 1.5 inches across southern California.

Another trough of low pressure leads this system eastward, moving over the Great Basin and central Rockies. Expect widespread scattered snow showers throughout the day, with accumulation up to 6 inches in western Colorado and near 4 inches across Utah.

Temperatures in the lower 48 states Friday have ranged from a morning low of -35 degrees at Cut Bank, Mont. to a high of 89 degrees at Edinburg, Texas.